A Love-Hate Relationship

Day 285: Almost anyone who drives back roads (paved or otherwise) in western Washington will recognize these two flowers. They may only know them as "daisies" and "poppies" rather than Oxeye Daisies and California Poppies as wildflower aficionados will, and fewer still will be able to apply the proper scientific nomenclature Leucanthemum vulgare and Eschscholzia californica.

(Pause here for a second. You have to love the word "Eschscholzia" for having six consonants in a row. That even beats "Schwarzschild" of astronomical fame. Now, back to the lecture...)

Both Oxeyes and California Poppies are non-native species and, because of their propensity for establishing monocultures by crowding out native plants, they are both considered invasive. Still, it's hard to hate anything which delights the eye so enthusiastically, and it's at times like these that I question what constitutes a pernicious pest as opposed to a plant which is simply expanding its range into an area which lacks effective bio-controls. Doesn't it seem logical that as global temperatures rise, Eschscholzia would move into higher latitudes? Admittedly, Leucanthemum took the boat across the Atlantic along with another aggressive invasive (western Europeans), so who can point and call it nasty names without fear of the finger being pointed back at them?

As much as I love the cheer these two species impart, the gardener in me is compelled to yank them as soon as I spot their foliage in my flower beds. Invariably, at least one Eschscholzia escapes my eagle eye until it pops out orange and sunny. After thirty years, I've not been able to eliminate the subsequent generations from an envelope of "mixed wildflower seed" I threw out in the Barren Wasteland, nor the obnoxious and unlovely Yarrow which came in another packet. Always keep in mind that something easy to start may not be quite as easy to stop.

Crazy For Daisies

Day 264: Oxeye Daisies are a common sight on the southwest Washington prairies. A non-native species, they are not on the invasive plant list although they do frequently out-compete native wildflowers and grasses. They often grow in "drifts," blanketing large areas where conditions are favourable. You should feel no pangs of conscience if you want to stop and pick a bouquet. In fact, these flowers present a great opportunity to explain osmosis to your kids. You undoubtedly have everything you need on hand for the experiment except perhaps the daisies, so take a drive or ride your bike and gather some up.

Fill a vase with water and add several drops of food coloring. Put your daisy bouquet in the water, and in about 24 hours, you should see color starting to infuse the petals from the center. As the daisies stand longer, the color will spread until the flowers no longer show any white. You can turn your daisies red, green, blue or even purple! Planning a Fourth of July picnic? Pick three batches and make a red, white and blue arrangement for your table! Some dye will drain back out of the stems, so wait to combine them until right before presentation.